A baby car seat is a literal lifesaver for your child. There's plenty of information out there about how to correctly strap your child in one and how to install the car seat too. But parents, it's equally important to know where the safest location for infant car seat in your vehicle is.
The safest location for infant car seat, according to experts
Sarah Tilton is Britax's Child Passenger Safety Technician and Immediate Past Chair of the National Child Passenger Safety Board. She shares more about the safest location for an infant car seat in your car: "The rear centre seating position is perceived to be the safest from the perspective that it's furthest from the lateral impact on either side."
She adds that the width of the centre seating position in your car can affect the proper installation of the car seat. The size can interfere with the access to the buckles for people who are sitting in the window seats. This is important if you have more than one kid travelling with you.
Speaking about the safest location for infant car seat, Sarah says:
"A car seat in the centre may overlap into the outboard seating position so that a second car seat cannot be properly installed. We don't want a toddler feeding goldfish to a newborn. Any of these would require the use of an outboard seating position which provides a safe position." She also adds that a properly installed car seat in an outboard seating position is safer than a poor installation in a centre position.
Using a car seat for your little one
Car seats for children can keep your little one safe in an accident. While you may place your child in a car seat, it is ideal to also have an adult sit with them in the back. But when you can't do that, you can keep a few safety tips in mind.
- Different types of car seats, like infant, toddler, and booster seats, are available in the market. Use an appropriate seat for your child.
- Fasten the safety seat securely with the help of safety belts in the car. Ensure that the child is properly strapped.
- In case your car has active airbags, never put a rearward-facing baby seat in the front. In the case of an accident, the airbags will push the seat forcefully and that will put your baby at great risk.
- Avoid putting your little one in the right side rear seat, behind the driver. The door on the right opens on to the road.
- If you place your child in the middle seat, using a diagonal safety belt is the best option. If the diagonal belt is not available, check the child seat for a lap belt. When both these belts are not available, avoid using this position.
- The left rear seat is the best option after the middle rear seat. It also opens to the pavement, meaning, getting out of the car is safer.
Child lock and central lock facility
When your little one is a bit older, they get very curious about their environment. You will find them wanting to explore anything and everything around them.
Your car's door may not be an exception to this. What can help you in such situations is a child lock and central lock facility. When the child lock in your car is active, the passengers in the rear seats cannot open the doors. But the child lock can be opened from outside.
So, whether the car is in moving or in one place, your little one cannot open the door. In case you need to seat an older child in the front seat, a central lock system can be of great help.
Sources: Pop Sugar, Business Today, Safe Kids, Child Car Seats
ALSO READ: Baby gets locked in car